The Trouble with Christmas Cookies
by AULOVE
Summary: Submission for 12 DAYS OF EVERLARK/Humorous Holiday Drabble Modern AU The wrong cookies were ordered for the event Effie was hosting: "Calm down. Now what is wrong with the cookies?" Katniss said. "Look for yourself?" Effie said crossing her arms dramatically over her chest. Curiously, Katniss opened the box...M for strong language


Submission for **12 DAYS OF EVERLARK** (created by que-sera-sera88  & fyeah-everlark )

Inspired by two Prompts, You own the best bakery in town and I need an insane amount of cookies for this party & "I wanted to bake gingerbread cookies BUT YOU KEEP CHANGING MY GINGERBREAD MEN INTO PENISES"

Thank you ct522 for taking time to work your magic editing! Gracias!

Enjoy and Review / I do not own the Hunger Games

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"KATNISS" The screech could be heard coming from down the hall. The click-clack of heels running toward the hall followed shortly. "NO, no, no, no, this cannot be right."

Effie carried the box with her as she rushed into the main dining room of her catering facilities. Frantically, she murmured. "This is not acceptable, oh dear. Oh my, what will the women think?"

Effie passed one of the volunteers. "Have you seen Katniss?"

"No, sorry Effie."

Effie quickly moved forward. The hall was a sea of young volunteers. They were the daughters and granddaughters of the women who made up the Preservation Society of Panem County. They were the strongest group in the entire County. These women basically controlled everything. They sat on the School Board, the Town Council, and any venue one could imagine that had a say in what went on in District Twelve. The Preservation Society was the oldest and most prestigious women's club in of all of Panem. Every year a different Distinct was chosen to host the holiday party, it was District Twelve's turn.

This year, Effie's catering hall was selected to host the women and to find a creative way to raise money for the chosen philanthropic organization, the Panem's Children Cancer Fund. The organization treated children with the diseases for free. The pressure was surmountable if everything went well. Unfortunately it wasn't. There was snow forecast-ed this evening during the Christmas themed event.

The snow however did not bother Effie as much as the contents of the box. Effie was beside herself with the honor of hosting this event. What she held in her hand, however, could potentially ruin her. Effie could already hear the head chair Alma Coin, say 'I told you we should have booked somewhere else.'

That stuck-up, grey-hired dictator had been a thorn in Effie's side ever since she moved here. Effie desired to show that woman she had excellent taste. As she passed yet another volunteer, Effie's gold and red beehive wig swished around the quicker she walked toward the room.

She saw a young woman dressed all in pink. Effie recognized her as the Mayors' daughter and one of Katniss best friends. "Madge, have you seen Katniss?"

"Katniss? Yes she's up there," Madge pointed to the ceiling where Katniss was attaching hanging green garland.

"Katniss!" Effie's voice was like shrill sound of a gym whistle. All the volunteers within hearing distance stopped what they were doing.

Katniss looked down.

"Katniss! Come down here this instant!"

Effie never lost her cool. She never ever screeched. She was high strung, and an absolute stickler for perfection so for her to be this unhinged meant something was cataclysmal wrong. Effie was brighter than a red Christmas light bulb.

Katniss blinked as she quietly observed Effie. "Okay, one moment."

A group of young women a little further away strained their necks to see what the hullabaloo was all about. They watched Katniss, who was clearly pregnant, descend the rickety ladder everyone refused to climb up. Katniss jumped down and brushed her hands against her sides and pushed her dark brown hair away from her face. She grimaced a little as she felt that sort of tightening at the base of her spine. She had been feeling these pangs since she got up early this morning. They were an annoyance, really. Rubbing her back, she greeted, "Effie"

"Katniss this is a calamity! The women's charity luncheon is ruined!"

"Effie, Effie," Katniss grabbed the box before it fell from Effie's hands as the woman they knew became emotional. "Calm down. Now what is wrong with the cookies?"

"Look for yourself?" Effie said crossing her arms dramatically over her chest.  
Curiously, Katniss opened the box.

The hall was filled with feminine giggles at the sight of the festive dicks. Katniss turned bright red with fury. "JO!"

The crowd that gathered parted. The dark haired woman with the tight, ripped leggings, thigh high boots and a black tunic looked panic-stricken, like a dear at the end of one of Katniss arrows. One moment Jo was standing, the next she was running away.

"Hold these Madge," Katniss voice was dangerously low, passing the box to her friend as she chased Jo.

Katniss was quick even though she looked like she was about to give birth. At the sight of Jo slipping in between the volunteers and the professionals who were working steadily to make the hall into a winter wonderland, many laughed.

"I can explain" Jo shouted as she ducked behind a large round table.

Normally, nothing scared Johanna Mason. Jo found it hysterical to scare the mild mannered people of the district with her tough Goth exterior. People thought twice about crossing her, but Jo was a fuzzy little bunny on the inside. Katniss, on the other hand was like a ferocious beast when provoked.

"You had one job, Jo." Katniss slapped her hands on the table. "A simple freaking job is all I asked of you. Order the dammed cookies for Effie from my husband's bakery. Do we get gingerbread men or candy canes?" Katniss snarled at her long time friend.

"What did we get?"

"WE GOT PENISES!" Katniss voice echoed in the room.

The word got the girls to start giggling and snickering.

"Katniss you need to calm down. It's not good for the baby!" Jo ran around the table.

Katniss pursued her, her belly bump not making any difference.

Finally Katniss got the tale end of Jo's hand and tugged her to sit in a chair.

"Katniss! The baby!" Jo reminded Katniss.

Katniss placed her hand on her belly. "You want me to calm down? Then explain it to me, Jo. I am all ears!"

"I went to Mellark's as you requested but your bread boy wasn't there!"

"Who the hell took the order?"

Jo tilted her head, looking everywhere but at Katniss. "Well the funny thing is when he took the order he was preoccupied at the time."

Katniss reared her head back "What the hell does that mean?"

"Ryewasscrewingmefrombehindatthetime."

Jo's words at first did not make sense because they were jumbled together. Katniss heard the laughter coming from the other girls but she dismissed it as she tried to piece apart what Jo said. "Rye was screw…"

Katniss lips turned into a big 'o'.

Anyone in the hall at this point pretending to do any work had stopped. "JO you slept with Rye?"

"Well what we did wasn't sleeping."

Katniss narrowed her silver eyes dangerously. It didn't upset her that Jo was with Rye (okay maybe it did). However, that being said, what truly upset her was, because of their tomfoolery, Effie's order had been messed up. She bit out through clenched teeth, "Get your keys!"

Jo did not wait she ran to get her keys.

"Effie, have the girls put the cookies in Joanna's truck."

Effie immediately gave the order.

"Don't worry Effie, Peeta will fix this." Katniss reassured Effie, she briefly hugged her. Hugging was not something Katniss did, but she made an exception Effie needed the embrace.

Effie nodded. "I hope so! These cookies were supposed to be both a parting gift and dessert."

Katniss nodded. "I'll be back."

Madge handed Katniss her coat.

"Please tell me you haven't slept with Rye."

"Nope, I am free from that sin unlike others in this district. Gale on the other hand is a different story." Madge helped Katniss into her coat.

"Madge, you're engaged to him."

"Oh yeah I forgot about that." Madge said, waving her two carat diamond ring in the air.

Katniss chuckled as she buttoned only the first three buttons because she could no longer do the rest.

"Madge if you get a desperate call from your father's office, it's because I've murdered my brother in law." Katniss murmured. As she huffed out of the hall, she could hear Madge's chuckle behind her.

Katniss climbed into Jo's car. She was at the stage in her pregnancy that driving was becoming tricky.

"I'm sorry I messed up."

Katniss glared at Jo, her blood pressure definitely high right now. She felt pressure in her lower abdomen. Katniss rubbed her back.

"It was a spur of the moment type of thing. Damm it Katniss, I didn't mean to screw this up. I know how important this to Effie. We're newcomers here."

Katniss shook her head clearing her anger. She couldn't stay mad at Jo for long. They had been friends through out college. It was funny because when they first met, they couldn't get along. They actually got into an argument that ended up at the shooting range, Katniss with her bow and arrows and Jo with her ax. Their friendship began out of mutual respect. "Jo, I trusted you."

"I know. It's just I haven't gotten laid in such a long time. Plus Rye is hot."  
Katniss rolled her eyes. "I don't need to know about you and my brother in law"

"The thing is, we are sort of dating."

Katniss blinked "What? When did this happen?"

"Rye called me that night after we hooked up."

Jo had an actual blush across her cheeks. Katniss was surprised.

Jo pulled to the front of Mellark's.

Katniss had so many questions. However she didn't get to ask them since Jo quickly got out and ran around the front of the car to open the door for her. She slid out of Jo's truck. Katniss paused "I am still mad at you but I am glad you found someone, even if it's Rye."

"Thanks Katniss."

"Two more things. Mellark's cookies will get you in trouble." Katniss pointed at her belly." Jo chuckled at the reference. "And number two. Don't tell Peeta I was up on the ladder."

"I will not breathe a thing and you're right. Mellark's cookies are friggin' trouble."

Katniss thought she was calm but the moment she saw Rye sweeping the store her ire rose. She marched to him and grabbed him by the ear. "YOU!"

"OW!" Rye yelped.

Katniss saw when Peeta ran out from the back of the bakery. Rye was taller than Peeta but with the same stocky build. It looked ridiculous to see Rye at the mercy of a small. Very irate pregnant woman. She looked into his face and sternly said "You are going to fix the mistake you made."

"What are you talking about?"

"Katniss, sweetheart let Rye go."

"Jo, go get the evidence," Katniss said, ignoring Peeta.

With that calm voice of his Peeta pressed, "Katniss why are you pinching my brother's ear?"

"Your brother made one hundred and seventy five accurate festive images of the male reproduction organ for the charity dinner tonight at Effie's.

"You mean the one held by the Women's Preservation Society of District 12."  
Rye's eyes closed shut.

"That's what they ordered. I swear Peeta."

"That's not what I ordered Rye," Katniss hissed.

"Just look at the order," he whined in response.

"The computer says you guys ordered one hundred seventy five festive…"

"Where is the written request Peeta?" Katniss asked, cutting him off before he said the word. She let go of Rye, who jumped back from her grasp. He was rubbing his ear tenderly.

Peeta went to the back where they kept the hand written requests before they were entered into the computer. "What in the world Rye? How could you understand this?"

The paper was wrinkled and caked in flower.

Katniss gave Jo a quick look before she took the crusty paper from Peeta. Nimbly, she felt the paper then shook her head. She pealed the paper back. There were two orders stuck to each other.

Peeta groaned as he took both orders. "Rye you mixed up the orders. Those cookies are for the ladies who work at Cray's. We have to make something for Effie plus replace that entire box of cookies because it's been opened. What were you thinking?"

Rye became flushed.

"He was preoccupied by Jo"

"Rye how many times have I told you not to flirt with the patrons? This is what I've been telling you for the longest."

Rye didn't say anything, he only stared at Jo.

Katniss could see their attraction. She recalled a time Peeta stared at her that way. She sighed. Now she was just a bloated chipmunk. The pain in her back kicked in once more. She rubbed her back.

"Peeta your brother was doing what he normally does. What we need is a solution to Effie's problem. We need one hundred seventy six deserts."

"Wait I thought you said one hundred seventy five." Rye frowned.

Katniss rubbed her belly, "Me plus one."

"Cupcakes" Jo called out.

"Jo, you're brilliant! We can make cupcakes for the event. That would be easier and quicker." Peeta mused.

"I'm willing to help you guys frost." Jo said, not bothering to hide her hungry glare at Rye.

Katniss rolled her eyes and questioned how she could have missed Jo and Rye making those faces at each other. "I can get some of the girls to help with the decorating."

"We can spin it as the future of Panem doing their part for charity. We can sell the cupcakes for five bucks and give the money toward the charity." Peeta offered.

Katniss cupped his face, relieved by this. "This is why I love you."

She kissed them sweetly on the lips.

"Would you two mind getting a room?" Jo said.

Katniss glared at Jo, giving her that you-should-keep-quiet-if-you-know-what's-good-for-you look. "Peeta let's talk about maybe giving this place a power wash. Especially over soft surfaces or for that matter all surfaces."

Rye gave Jo a look.

"She knows Rye,"

"She's not mad?"

"About us, nahh. Now, about these Mellark cookies we can't resell, how about we make creative use of them after the shindig?"

"I thought you would never ask." Rye grinned mischievously. Cookies were always fun things to play with.

That evening, the staunch members of the Women Preservation Society of District 12 were happy. The dinner was a smash. The cupcakes, decorated by the Daughters were sold at a tidy profit for the charity the Preservation Society sponsored. Effie stood smiling with Alma Coin and her co-chair, Wanda Paylor, as the women congratulated her for a successful evening. Katniss stood with her hand on her back. The pain in her lower abdomen was increasing but she didn't say anything. They were breaking it up because a storm was beginning to brew. All of the women were gathering their belongings.

"Katniss, what's wrong?" Jo asked

"Nothing, do you know where…"

Katniss never got to finish. She lost all train of thought, felling as if she'd peed on her self, something that happened often when she didn't make it to the bathroom on time. This however was far too much liquid. She looked bewildered, and in shock when it dawned on her that her water broke.

"Holy…."

"Jo, mind your manners! Come along Katniss let's get you to the office." Effie appeared by Katniss side and pulled her quickly out of the hall.

"Shouldn't we call the cops or an ambulance or something?"

Katniss began to pant. She could hear the pure panic in Jo's voice.

"No time for that. How long have you been having contractions dear?" Effie wisely asked.

Things suddenly clicked for Katniss.

"Since this morning," Katniss ground out as the pain came again. The contractions were getting closer and closer together. She was having them every five minutes. She glanced at Jo grabbed her hand and said, "This is what happens when you eat Mellark Cookies."

Katniss was whisked away but Jo was left laughing hysterically. Indeed, Mellark Cookies were the best but they were definitely trouble of the best kind.


End file.
